Farmers Will Have Access To Monsanto’s Low-Saturate, High-Oleic Soybeans in 2018

ST. LOUIS (June 16, 2017) – The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture recently granted approval for the import and food/feed use of Monsanto’s MON 87705 soybean. This approval is for a key component of Monsanto’s Vistive® Gold soybeans that produce a low-saturate, high-oleic soybean oil. With this approval, Monsanto will now begin commercial preparation for the full-scale launch of Vistive Gold soybeans in 2018.

Vistive Gold soybeans contain the low-saturate, high-oleic trait which will enable food companies to produce foods with lower saturated fat levels and low levels of trans fat as compared to other cooking oils.1

Vistive Gold soybean oil has enhanced storage and processing stability, and an improved nutritional profile and food functionality. Vistive Gold soybeans were developed with input from leading food companies over the last decade and can benefit consumers as well as farmers.

“Oil produced with Vistive Gold soybeans is a beneficial cooking oil,” said Lisa Streck, Monsanto’s soybean launch lead. “It can be used cost effectively as a cooking oil that is low in saturated fat with zero grams trans fat per serving. Vistive Gold soybean oil also delivers the same great taste and texture that people expect from cooking oils, as well as shelf life that is equal to, or better than, traditional oils.”

Vistive Gold soybeans represent one of the first crops developed through the combination of biotechnology and traditional breeding that enable farmers to help food companies bring an improved cooking oil to consumers. The soybeans will be built upon the proven performance of Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® soybeans, giving farmers a strong yield opportunity and may provide the ability to earn a premium for the nutritionally improved oil.

“Vistive Gold soybeans is a unique product that we’ve been working to bring to market,” Streck adds. “We continue to establish partnerships with processors and are preparing for commercial launch in 2018.”

Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans, and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit: monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo.

References
1 Vistive Gold has 14 grams of total fat per serving, and has 1.0g/serving saturated fat vs. 2.0g/serving in conventional soybean oil, 1.0g/serving vs. 7.0g/serving in palm oil and 1.0g/serving vs. 2.5g/serving in fry shortening. Also, because Vistive Gold does not require processing by hydrogenation, it has 0g/serving trans fat as defined by FDA for nutrition facts panel purposes.